Concordia College - Corona Borealis Yearbook (Edmonton, Alberta Canada)

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RECOLLECTIONS OF A PRESIDENT EMERITUS by Albert H. Schwermann Concordia College, Edmonton, 1921-63 Concordia College was born on October 31, 1921. The opening service was held in the school of St. Peter ' s, at that time our only congregation in Edmonton. Thirty-five stu¬ dents answered the roll call. We had leased the Caledonian Temperance Hotel at 10875- 98th Street. Here were the living quarters and the classrooms. Another building at 9529- 110th Avenue provided space for the college dining room, kitchen, infirmary, and the living quarters for the family of the president. During the first year Mrs. Schwermann had charge of the meal service. In the successive years, with a respective enrollment of 52, 48, 65, and 68, grades ten, eleven and twelve were added. Rev. Alfred Rehwinkel, pastor of St. Peter ' s church, assisted during the first year. He joined the teaching staff in 1922, as did Mr. John H. Herreilers of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, whose career as an outstanding mathe¬ matics teacher in Alberta extends to this day. Rev. Walter A. Baepler of Winnipeg joined the staff in 1923. For an enrollment of 65 in 1924 we found additional space in a residence at 9522-llOth Avenue. The following year this was relinquished in favor of the second story of the Vinegrove Apartments at the south east corner of 96th Street and 109th Avenue. (Note: Anyone interested in these historic places is advised to view them soon. One of these years they will be torn down to make way for new structures. ) The students led a rather Spartan existence. Three times a day they had to walk to the dining hall, a distance of four blocks, rain or shine or sleet or snow. Good exercise! We arose at 6, had morning devotion at 6:20, breakfast at 6:40, study period from 7-8, 45 minute class periods from 8:45 to 12 and from 1:45 to 4, study period from 7-9, then evening devotion, and lights out at 9:30. Students paid about $130 per year: $80 for board, $5 for medical fees and a re¬ pair fund, $2 for athletics, and some $40 for mattress, books, electric lamp, etc. ; no tuition fees for students preparing for work in the church. With such low fees we had to rely heavily on the support from the members of our churches. And this came in great abundance. Every fall the members in the Stony Plain area sent us a carload of vegetables and victuals. Throughout the years supplies for our larder came in from many congregations. Dr. Schwermann was born on June 13, 1891 at Jefferson City, Missouri. After his graduation from Concordia College, Ft. Wayne, Indiana in 1910 and from Concordia Seminary in 1913, he served the Mellowdale, Alberta parish as travel¬ ling missionary from 1913 to 1916. Then he was active as pastor in the Wetaskiwin- Brightview parish from 1916 to 1921. In 1916 he was married to Miss Hilda Hintz of Chicago. He became a Canadian citizen in 1923, and since 1942 he has been an alumnus of the university of Alberta. Dr. Albert H. Schwermann